Five area high schoolers are competing to become royalty for the 2016 Blake’s Prairie Jr. Fair, which will be held at the Bloomington Fairgrounds July 14-17.

Queen candidate Lexi Harper, daughter of Tara and Greg Harper, Glen Haven, is sponsored by the River Ridge FFA. Lexi has been an active member of the FFA for three years, was last year’s chapter treasurer and currently serves as the chapter secretary. Lexi was part of the national soils team, was a member of the state qualifying meats team and has done livestock judging. She owns four Angus heifers she shows at local fairs and larger Angus breed shows.

Five residents of a Prairie du Chien house were arrested early Monday, June 27, as a result of a search warrant. They are being held on drug-related charges, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

During the early morning hours of Monday, the sheriff’s department and Prairie du Chien Police Department executed a search warrant for illegal narcotics at the residence on Norma Avenue. As a result, the adults who occupied the residence were taken into custody. They included Abby Hiles, 33; Alan Hagensick, 28; Corey Hagensick, 27; Anthony Hagensick, 34; and Monica Knockel, 36.

Also, a 1-year-old child who lived at the residence was taken into temporary physical custody for wellbeing and safety reasons, according to authorities.

Hiles faces charges of delivery of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a drug house and recklessly endangering the safety of a child.

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a short series regarding methamphetamine and the serious problem of meth abuse in Crawford County.

By Correne Martin

By continuously throwing methamphetamine and other narcotics users in jail, utilizing solely Crawford County funds and resources, addicts don’t get the help they need and the root of the drug problem is not addressed. The only result is that the junkies spend a night off the streets.

“Crawford County is a small county with a big need,” said Circuit Court Judge James Czajkowski. “Yet our county does not have a social worker who is a drug and alcohol abuse counselor.”

The national trend, where success rates vary per county, is to rehabilitate drug abusers, as opposed to calling for jail or prison sentences, according to Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick.

Prairie du Chien will host the annual fireworks celebration on St. Feriole Island on Saturday, July 9. The fireworks show will be longer than ever before and, in general, the event is expected to be even more family-friendly than usual.

Co-sponsored by the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce and the city of Prairie du Chien, organizers will sell burgers, brats, popcorn and refreshments from 5 to 8 p.m. at the north shelter. Live music at the same location will further liven up the island from 6 to 9 p.m.

Bring your own blanket and lawn chair and find the perfect place to view the fireworks and listen to the music on the island. Glow sticks will be sold as well.

At dusk, the fireworks will be shot off from a barge over the Mississippi River.

“With additional sponsorship from the city, we’ve also increased the length of the fireworks this year,” Chamber CEO Bob Moses said.

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a short series regarding methamphetamine and the serious problem of meth abuse in Crawford County.

By Correne Martin

Ninety-five percent of the men and women in the Crawford County Jail are addicted to narcotics and alcohol. The other 5 percent are there for domestic abuse, burglary, theft and other crimes that occurred while they were under the influence of these drugs.

These figures are according to Crawford County and Prairie du Chien law enforcement officials.

“There’s an extreme drug problem in this county. It’s a very impoverished area—the unemployment rate is high and the income rate is low,” said Lt. Jaden McCullick, an investigator for the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

Meth is number one on the list of narcotics abused in southwest Wisconsin, and that is apparent in the latest mass of local news articles about meth busts.

Many boats at the Regal Marina in Prairie du Chien (pictured here in early May) sat ashore longer than usual this season awaiting the opportunity to slip into the docks. (Photo by Correne Martin)

By Correne Martin

The Prairie du Chien Common Council extended an olive branch to Regal Marine Group Tuesday night, as an effort to resolve the safety issues that have left the business stagnant this season.
The council voted to offer a line of credit to the Regals to help them accomplish the estimated $74,000 in repairs and improvements needed to satisfy state code mandates. Terms of the loan would include classifying the Regals’ buildings and docks on the city-owned property as collateral.

There is no indication yet regarding whether the Regals will accept the terms of the loan. According to City Attorney Lara Czajkowski Higgins, the Regals’ attorney emailed her an hour before Tuesday’s regular council meeting, saying they’re potentially interested in such a loan but they need another week to determine a more exact figure of cost estimates.

The city’s welcome signs were refurbished this spring, at a cost of $8,100. They had not been repaired or retouched since installation in 1998. Now, the community’s civic organizations have planned a branding session for June 29, as an effort to determine how Prairie du Chien can do more than simply market what it has but, instead, market what makes it stand out. (Photo by Correne Martin)

Featuring the same theme at the top as the city’s welcome signs, the city’s wayfinding signs show a drawing of the Villa Louis as well as a river boat.

By Correne Martin

Prairie du Chien’s civic organizations are fishing for ideas. They are seeking creative, passionate stakeholders and citizens who want a seat on the boat of brainstormers as they start developing a brand for the city of Prairie du Chien.

A community branding session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., at the city hall community room. Those interested are asked to RSVP by Monday, June 27 to mainstreetpdc@gmail.com. Anyone interested in learning more might have some questions.

What exactly is a brand? Doesn’t Prairie du Chien already have a brand? What is “Wisconsin’s Second Oldest City?” And what about the city’s prevalent history or its scenic, recreational location along the Mississippi River?

The ladies’ tomahawk throwing competition for campers drew a decent crowd of observers Saturday afternoon at the Prairie Villa Rendezvous on St. Feriole Island. (Photos by Correne Martin)

The Rendezvous is always a family affair for campers and visitors, and face painting tends to be one of the more popular offerings for the young ones in attendance.

Fred Bruner Jr. talked to young and old alike underneath the shade of the Bruner's Blades tent Saturday.

Hungry Prairie Villa Rendevous enthusiasts line up at one the vendor’s tents on the buckskinners’ side of the annual festival.

Buying, selling and trading is part of the tradition at the pre-1840s celebration.

Blooming onions, turkey legs, fry bread, fresh squeezed lemonade and rootbeer straight from the barrel were the usual favorites for Rendezvous attendees Saturday, though the ice cream and snow cone stands also thrived as high temperatures and beaming sunshine heated up the event.

The smell and taste of kettle corn, available at several Rendezvous stands, is hard to beat.

This bear skin rug and other small animal pelts were in line with the many attractions for the thousands attending the 41st annual Rendezvous in Prairie du Chien this past weekend.

Richard Blackhawk Kapusta performed music and storytelling south of the Jaycee Food Stand on the north end of camp.